The Meaning of 1 Samuel 14:1 Explained

1 Samuel 14:1

KJV: Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.

YLT: And the day cometh that Jonathan son of Saul saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, 'Come, and we pass over unto the station of the Philistines, which is on the other side of this;' and to his father he hath not declared it.

Darby: Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father.

ASV: Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines garrison, that is on yonder side. But he told not his father.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now it came to pass upon a day,  that Jonathan  the son  of Saul  said  unto the young man  that bare  his armour,  Come,  and let us go over  to the Philistines'  garrison,  that [is] on the other side.  But he told  not his father. 

What does 1 Samuel 14:1 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 14:1-15 - Jonathan's Exploit For The Lord
Jonathan was a true knight of God. He was the Hebrew Galahad, a soldier without fear and without reproach. His life was pure, his word was true, he was faithful to the high claims of human love, and followed the Christ, though as yet he knew Him not.
He had entered into the spirit of the divine Covenant, and could not believe that God had forgotten and forsaken. Was not the old promise true that "one [1] chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight"? Deuteronomy 32:30. Happy are they who can rise above depression and misfortune into the clear heaven of fellowship with God, allying their weakness with His might, their ignorance with His wisdom! "It may be that the Lord will work for us," said Jonathan; "for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few." Then he offered himself as the humble instrument of God's will. The people recognized this. They said: "He hath wrought with God this day." And the soul that reckons on God cannot be ashamed. "The Lord saved Israel that day."In such works God and man co-operate. See John 3:21. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 14

1  Jonathan goes and miraculously smites the Philistine's garrison
15  A divine terror makes them beat themselves
17  Saul, not staying the priest's answer, sets on them
21  The captivated Hebrews, and the hidden Israelites, join against them
24  Saul's unadvised adjuration hinders the victory
31  He restrains the people from eating blood
35  He builds an altar
37  Jonathan, taken by lot, is save by the people
47  Saul's victories, strength, and family

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 14:1 mean?

And it came to pass one day that said Jonathan son of Saul to the young man who bore his armor come and let us go over the garrison Philistines' that [is] on other side this but his father not he did tell
וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֗וֹם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹנָתָ֤ן בֶּן־ שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־ הַנַּ֙עַר֙ נֹשֵׂ֣א כֵלָ֔יו לְכָ֗ה וְנַעְבְּרָה֙ מַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעֵ֣בֶר הַלָּ֑ז וּלְאָבִ֖יו לֹ֥א הִגִּֽיד

וַיְהִ֣י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַיּ֗וֹם  one  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  that  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יוֹנָתָ֤ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שָׁאוּל֙  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
הַנַּ֙עַר֙  the  young  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
נֹשֵׂ֣א  who  bore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
כֵלָ֔יו  his  armor 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
לְכָ֗ה  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְנַעְבְּרָה֙  and  let  us  go  over 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
מַצַּ֣ב  the  garrison 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַצָּב  
Sense: station, garrison, standing-place.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים  Philistines' 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  that  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מֵעֵ֣בֶר  on  other  side 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵבֶר  
Sense: region beyond or across, side.
הַלָּ֑ז  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: הַלָּז 
Sense: this, this one (without subst), yonder.
וּלְאָבִ֖יו  but  his  father 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הִגִּֽיד  he  did  tell 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.